Journal Article

Finding your feet: student participation during initiation of international clinical placements

Teunissen, Pim W., Sheehan, Dale C., Ramaekers, Stephan P. J., Duvivier, Robbert J., Driessen, Erik W., Wijbenga, Miriam H.

2020

Overview

Introduction International placements challenge students to find the right level of participation, as local practices, language and time pressure may affect their engagement in patient-related tasks or team activities. This study sought to unpack the initiation process during international clinical placements with the ultimate aim to achieve active student participation. Methods Following a constructivist grounded theory approach, we conducted two individual interviews with 15 undergraduate healthcare students (before departure and whilst on placement). To identify emerging themes, we applied an iterative process of data collection and constant comparative analysis. Several team discussions informed further analysis, allowing us to reach a more conceptual level of theory. Results From our findings we constructed a four-phase model of healthcare students’ initiation of international clinical placements, which brings into focus how the phases of ‘orientation’, ‘adjustment’ and ‘contribution to patient care’ build up towards a ‘sense of belonging’. We identified several factors that induced active student participation in practice, such as a favourable workplace setting, opportunities for learning and a local support network. Discussion Active student participation is aimed at different goals, depending on the four phases of initiation that eventually lead to a sense of belonging and support workplace learning.

• Publisher: Bohn Stafleu van Loghum,Ubiquity Press
• Subject: Allied Health Occupations / clinical workplace / Communication Skills / Comparative analysis / Cultural Differences / Data Analysis / Data collection / Education / Educational Environment / Expectation / Females / Grounded Theory / Health Personnel - education / Health Personnel - psychology / Health Personnel - statistics & numerical data / Hospitals / Humans / Individual Needs / initiation / International Educational Exchange - statistics & numerical data / International Educational Exchange - trends / international placements / Internship Programs / Internships / Interviews / Interviews as Topic - methods / Learner Engagement / Learning / Learning Experience / Medical Education / Netherlands / Original / Original Article / Physical therapy / Professional practice / Program Development / Qualitative Research / School environment / Student participation / Students, Medical - statistics & numerical data / Supervision / Transcripts (Written Records) / Work Engagement / Workplace Learning